Conventional "sling chain" devices normally include a welded bent wire type "master link" and one or more sling chain branches permanently coupled to and depending therefrom. Customarily, a "coupling link" is employed to interconnect each sling chain to the master link; such coupling link being sized and formed from wire stock of a diameter intermediate of that of the master link and of the links of the sling chain(s). In the case of sling devices wherein the master links are formed of large diameter wire stock, it has heretofore been necessary to additionally employ a "master coupling link" to interconnect the conventional coupling link to the master link. Moreover, master links of conventional welded bent wire type, wherein all of their parts are of uniform cross-sectional areas, necessarily require that the parts of the link which are not subject to high stress loadings are overbuilt in order to assure adequate strength in the other parts of the link. Hence, conventional master link constructions are characterized as being of high weight-to-strength ratios. The present invention provides an improved type forged master link construction for use in sling chain units, which obviates the aforesaid disadvantages of prior type master link constructions.